Over the course of 2014 I managed a blog post a month, which seemed about right for a hobbyist like myself. Early 2015 and that seems to have slipped a bit (but not as bad as my fellow contributor who hasn’t posted since Margaret Thatcher was PM.) Suffice it to say that diminishing blog posts equates to a reduction in creative energy and productivity of late. Gratefully, I don’t make my living from self-directed creative endeavours, so I can lay off the gas without repercussion. It seems my output is usually inversely proportional to work pressures and emotional state, the latter of which appears to also be inversely proportional to consumption of The Good Wife on Netflix. Not very hipster or self-actualising but we all need to regress sometimes.

I have been mostly working on Wednesdays over the winter but last week managed to pop into the local Conservative Pop-up Charity shop on Gilmore Place. Tollcross has attracted such enterprises over the years and i have learned that they are heavenly little hot-beds of vintage and retro. There must be a whole troop of elderly Torys around this area, bin-bag in hand, clearing out their attics and garages to within an inch of their lives. And then there’s the pricing. And the friendly bargaining. The commercialisation of the charity shop ‘chain’ means such things are frowned upon in your average Oxfam these days. (Wow, check out my anti-capitalist sentiment there.) So I enjoyed my little trip there and of course, came away heavily furnished with goods.

The first, somewhat random, purchase was this vintage Viyella dressing gown (or ‘goonie’ if you live locally) for a few quid. It was the fabric that did it – so dainty, so 50s oppressed housewife. 

You can’t go wrong with a vintage case. Put it anywhere for another nook to store something important and then forget about it.

Melemex has become another collectable for me. In my mind’s eye, i envisage this ‘breakfast set’ going rather well in the VW camper that I believe I will one day own…Vintage pyrex seems to be on the rise. And why not, with those marvellous mid-century tones such as this baby pink salad bowl.
And the list doesn’t end there. But the photos do. One of my other acquisitions, a fabulous Fisher Price Jack-in-the-Box, has already been gifted to the latest kid in town. Any 80s kid will know exactly the one i mean. Scary clown face with quirky illustrations on the side, and a sort of bag-pipe noise when Jack emerges. I also got a few navy striped canvas garden chairs for £1 each. Again, any 80s caravaner will know the ones. All in all, a highly successful raid, and all for a great cause (I think?!)